ORDER LXVIII. COMPOSITE. 355 



3-nerved, cauline, sub-linear; pappus plumose; scales of the involucre 

 in about 3 series, the outer ones expanding. — Purple. 2£. N. C. 8 — 

 17 inches. 



4. C. coiiYMBo'sus, (T. & G.) Stem erect, branching near the sum- 

 mit ; branches hirsute, tomentose. Radical leaves cuneate-lanceolate, 

 tomentose ; cauline leaves oblong, sessile. Flowers in terminal corymbs ; 

 involucre with about 20 florets ; scales hairy at the base, with a mem- 

 branaceous margin ; pappus colored ; chaff linear. — Purple. If. Sept. 

 — Oct. Wet places. 2 — 3 feet. Liatris tomentosa, Ell. 



Genus Yl 1 1.— LIATRIS. Schreb. 

 (Probably from liazo, I come forth, from the early appearance of its leaves.) 



Involucre imbricate, oblong ; florets perfect. Receptacle 

 naked. Corolla tubular, 5-lobed ; branches of the style much 

 exserted ; pappus plumose, persistent, generally colored. Fruit 

 pubescent, striate, obconic. Anthers entire at the base. Style 

 bifid. Flowers usually purple, all tubular. Perennial, herba- 

 ceous plants, with alternate, entire leaves. 



a. Flowers in spikes or racemes. Root tuberous. Leaves linear or grass- 

 like. 



1. L. spica'ta, (Willd.) Stem simple, glabrous, leafy. Leaves linear- 

 lanceolate, glabrous, acute, dotted, somewhat ciliate at'the base ; upper 

 ones very short. Flowers in terminal spikes, with bracteal leaves; in- 

 volucre cylindrical; scales oblong, shorter than the flowers; outer 

 scales shortest. Generally 8 florets in a capitulum, longer than the invo- 

 lucre. Seeds hairy, furrowed. — Purple. If. Aug. — Oct. Pine-bar- 

 rens. 2 — 4 feet. Gay-feather. Button Snakeroot. 



2. L. gramimfo'lia, (Walt) Stem simple, glabrous or slightly hairy. 

 Leaves linear, long, with the midrib hairy and the margin scabrous. 

 Flowers in a terminal spike, with bracts as long as the involucre ; invo- 

 lucre cylindrical, with about 6 florets; scales pubescent along the mar- 

 gin, mucronate. Corolla covered with glandular dots. Seeds hairy; 

 pappus uncolored. — Purple. If. Sept. — Oct. In pine-barrens. 2 — 4 ft. 



3. L. Boykin'ii, (T. & G.) Stem slender, erect, nearly glabrous. 

 Leaves linear, punctate; lower ones long, upper short and setaceous. 

 Spike virgate; heads 3 — 5-flowered ; scales of the involucre glabrous ; 

 pappus plumose. Achenia villous. — Pale purple. Aug. — Sept. West- 

 ern Geo. 1 — 2 feet. 



4. L. tenuifo'lia,- (Nutt.) Stem simple, slender, glabrous. Lower 

 leaves crowded, narrow, or linear, slightly hairy at the base ; upper 

 leaves setaceous, scattered. Flowers in long racemes, with leafy pedi- 

 cels ; involucre oblong, about 5-flowered ; scales membranaceous along 

 the margins. Corolla with glandular dots. Seeds hairy ; pappus not 

 colored. — Purple. If.. Aug. — Oct. Dry pine-barrens. 2 — 4 feet. 



5. L. cylindra'cea, (Mich.) Stem slender, glabrous. Leaves linear, 

 long, narrow, glabrous; upper ones pubescent along the margin, lower 

 ones alternate at the base. Flowers few, in a terminal spike ; involucre 

 cylindrical, containing 14 — 20 florets; scales oMong, abruptly acumi- 

 nate, pubeseent along the margin. Corolla glandular; pappus plu- 

 mose. — Purple. If. Aug. — Sept. Dry, sandy soila Mid. Geo. 1 — 2 ft. 



